1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to snowboard bindings, and more particularly to snowboard bindings designed to absorb vibration and shock.
2. Description of Related Art
Snowboarding has rapidly become a popular winter sport, competing with skiing. Various types of equipment have been developed, to facilitate the enjoyment of the sport by all participants, from beginners to experts.
The binding, by which the boot is affixed to the board, is an important element. In addition to the terrain and snow conditions, as well as the ability of the rider, the combination of boot, binding, and board greatly influence the type of ride that the snowboarder will experience. The bindings connect the snowboarder to the board and allow the snowboarder to maneuver the board during a ride down a slope.
The snowboard is controlled by weight transfer and foot movement of the rider. Edge control is important to carve turns rather than just slide through the snow. It is desirable to improve the riders feel for the board and to increase the board's responsiveness to the riders foot movement. It is generally desirable to provide a secure attachment to the board, while at the same time providing some medial and lateral ankle mobility. The system should provide for vibration and shock absorption to provide a more comfortable ride, and allow the board to flex properly as it traverses the terrain. The system should of course be as lightweight as possible, safe, and adjustable, both for a single user for different conditions, and for multiple users.
The rider's feel for the board, and the board's responsiveness to the rider's foot movements, are increased by keeping the snowboarder's feet close to the board. Secure attachment of the boot to the board improves safety, in particular by allowing the efficient transfer of forces between the rider and the board, which aids the rider in controlling the board. Some medial and lateral ankle mobility is helpful for maneuvering the board. Riding over hard-packed or rough terrain, particularly at high speeds, is improved by vibration damping or absorption, and jumps and stunts are improved by shock absorption.
Of course, in addition to the bindings, a variety of different boots and boards are also available. These also affect the snowboarding experience.
Thus, a wide variety of different bindings have been developed that incorporate features designed to address various of these problems and objectives. The goal is to provide a boot-binding-snowboard system so that riders of different levels, facing a variety of different conditions, can enjoy an optimum experience by selecting a system which matches the rider's ability to the rider's performance objectives.
In particular, the problem of vibration or shock damping or absorption is generally dealt with by providing some type of elastomeric pads between the boot and the board, usually as part of the binding, but sometimes also on the bottom of the boot. However, the materials used are exposed to harsh conditions and have a limited lifetime. Thus it is desirable to find a different and better way to provide vibration and shock damping and absorption.